If You Tune Your Own Car, Come On In

[Stormtrooper5.0]

I'm just wondering how all of you guys who tune your own vehicles got started?? I'm pretty sure that we have quite a few who do it themselves. How long did it take for you to get it down? Especially you Coyote guys. And I'm assuming that if you're still doing it, then you're happy with your decision? What are you using to tune? I'm not looking to start tuning mine today, but I'd like to do my own tuning sometime in the future.

 

[01yellercobra]

I picked up the PRP back in 2007 to tune my own car. I went to two different tuners and neither could get it to run right. I don't recall how long it took before I felt like I had a good handle on it. I'm quite happy with my decision. I've used 4 different MAF's and two different blowers. Not to mention when I was N/A for a bit. I didn't have to spend money on retunes.

 

[slonech]

Same here.... I am running SCT PRP and definitely recommend getting the don lasota book and video. I kept having issues with getting a schedule to get my car to a tuner and with the amount of mods I have done to my car a mail order tune just wouldn't cut it so I opted to do it myself. Have been going about 6 months and still learn something new every day with it.

 

[Stormtrooper5.0]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I'll look into that software and the book/video. Would you consider yourselves to be pretty advanced when it comes to cars? As in the amount of mechanical knowledge. Also, do y'all ever get nervous that you're going to screw up or damage something? I think that's my biggest thing right now. It seems a bit daunting.

 

[gmcconn1]

In addition to Don's book I would recommend

Engine Management - Advanced Tuning

Designing and Tuning High Performance Fuel Injection Systems

by Greg Banish. They are general theory and the how and why of tuning. Not Ford specific but great reads

He also has a Ford Tuning DVD available through Summit Racing. Pricier but lots of good information - particularly on the Drive By Wire Stuff

 

[Don 95Vert]

When you first get it, it will seem a bit daunting because you will see hundreds of parameters with odd sounding names. You will wonder where you start. What you will find is that you will only use a very few of the parameters to dial it in. For a lot of the things, like injectors, SCT has 'value files' where you load a value file for your injectors and it changes each of the parameters that needs to be changed.

The references posted would be a big help.

It will get easier, and if you get the PRP from a dealer that gives you a free base tune with it, it makes it even easier, because all you really will be doing is dialing in the MAF, playing with spark and maybe doing odds and ends here and there. In a few weeks you'll feel like an old pro.

Just remember EVERYONE has a first car they tuned. Everyone. Chris Johnson, Jerry W., Jon Lund, Bob Kurgan, etc. Everyone. And usually it was most likely their own car they were playing around with - then a friends, and then more and more. I started tuning many years ago with MY first car - and a few thousand cars later, I still learn things and mostly enjoy it.

You won't blow your car up unless you do something really bad and try to rush through it. 99% of the people I deal with LOVE tuning themselves - once you have that knowledge, no one can take it away!

Good Luck!

Don

 

[DSG2NV03]

+1 ^^ buy from this guy!

 

[Stormtrooper5.0]

+1 ^^ buy from this guy!

That was my next question! Ha. Where to buy?! So you sell it Don?

 

[watman02]

When you first get it, it will seem a bit daunting because you will see hundreds of parameters with odd sounding names. You will wonder where you start. What you will find is that you will only use a very few of the parameters to dial it in. For a lot of the things, like injectors, SCT has 'value files' where you load a value file for your injectors and it changes each of the parameters that needs to be changed.

The references posted would be a big help.

It will get easier, and if you get the PRP from a dealer that gives you a free base tune with it, it makes it even easier, because all you really will be doing is dialing in the MAF, playing with spark and maybe doing odds and ends here and there. In a few weeks you'll feel like an old pro.

Just remember EVERYONE has a first car they tuned. Everyone. Chris Johnson, Jerry W., Jon Lund, Bob Kurgan, etc. Everyone. And usually it was most likely their own car they were playing around with - then a friends, and then more and more. I started tuning many years ago with MY first car - and a few thousand cars later, I still learn things and mostly enjoy it.

You won't blow your car up unless you do something really bad and try to rush through it. 99% of the people I deal with LOVE tuning themselves - once you have that knowledge, no one can take it away!

Good Luck!

Don

^+1
He is a big help and his book is a MUST!!!! Makes a very good refrence when ur getting started. All and all I'm really glad I did it so much so that I have bought HPTUNERS to tune my camaro as well!

 

[DSG2NV03]

That was my next question! Ha. Where to buy?! So you sell it Don?

Yes. Lasotaracing.com. He will set you up with a base tune and answer all your questions. Get the book/DVD also.

 

[Stormtrooper5.0]

Yes. Lasotaracing.com. He will set you up with a base tune and answer all your questions. Get the book/DVD also.

Awesome! Well I guess it's settled! I'll be ordering sometime in the next few months, Don! I really appreciate all of the help. You've all been very informative and reassuring!

 

[svtshadow]

So, what equipment is needed besides everything that you can order/buy from Don?
For example, wide band etc.

 

[Cbarr300]

I started out with a twEECer when I had my 95 cobra. I started trying to tune myself when I was 18, and started on a vortech combo. Being dumb I blew a set of head gaskets...but you learn pretty quick what not to do, haha. The best thing you can do is read and research. A/f meter is nice for wot tuning, and good data logs are a must.

 

[watman02]

So, what equipment is needed besides everything that you can order/buy from Don?
For example, wide band etc.

Yes I would recommend a wideban as opposed to just using the ltft's.

 

[DSG2NV03]

So, what equipment is needed besides everything that you can order/buy from Don?
For example, wide band etc.

Definitely a good wideband is in order. Also, time and patience!

 

[BLK93GT]

Don's book is great as is the DVD!

I used a Zeitronix wideband in my LX but I really like the NGK AFX, real accurate wideband.

 

[Nitrous SSC]

I started with Binary Editor on my fox. The cost for the hardware was less than a custom tune. Now I have the PRP for my Cobra.

 

[2002BLGT]

When you first get it, it will seem a bit daunting because you will see hundreds of parameters with odd sounding names. You will wonder where you start. What you will find is that you will only use a very few of the parameters to dial it in. For a lot of the things, like injectors, SCT has 'value files' where you load a value file for your injectors and it changes each of the parameters that needs to be changed.

The references posted would be a big help.

It will get easier, and if you get the PRP from a dealer that gives you a free base tune with it, it makes it even easier, because all you really will be doing is dialing in the MAF, playing with spark and maybe doing odds and ends here and there. In a few weeks you'll feel like an old pro.

Just remember EVERYONE has a first car they tuned. Everyone. Chris Johnson, Jerry W., Jon Lund, Bob Kurgan, etc. Everyone. And usually it was most likely their own car they were playing around with - then a friends, and then more and more. I started tuning many years ago with MY first car - and a few thousand cars later, I still learn things and mostly enjoy it.

You won't blow your car up unless you do something really bad and try to rush through it. 99% of the people I deal with LOVE tuning themselves - once you have that knowledge, no one can take it away!

Good Luck!

Don

Just to add to Don's post , do not always trust the value files , most of them are good to go , but always double check the data , certain year makes and models the value files sometimes do not change everything needed or they can sometimes make unwanted changes , I always reference ford racing PDF files and double check injector data vs the value files just to be 100 percent sure

 

[Bill@HPTuners]

For me I got a bad tune that the tuner couldn't fix in several visits back so I was kinda backed into a wall either deal with it or do it myself, I opted to do it myself and haven't looked back

For me it probably took 2 months before things really started to click but mind you this was way before there were books, dvd's, video's, etc. on how to tune. Things have come along way in the last 10 years since when I first started.

-Bill

 

[Bill@HPTuners]

When you first get it, it will seem a bit daunting because you will see hundreds of parameters with odd sounding names. You will wonder where you start. What you will find is that you will only use a very few of the parameters to dial it in. For a lot of the things, like injectors, SCT has 'value files' where you load a value file for your injectors and it changes each of the parameters that needs to be changed.

The references posted would be a big help.

It will get easier, and if you get the PRP from a dealer that gives you a free base tune with it, it makes it even easier, because all you really will be doing is dialing in the MAF, playing with spark and maybe doing odds and ends here and there. In a few weeks you'll feel like an old pro.

Just remember EVERYONE has a first car they tuned. Everyone. Chris Johnson, Jerry W., Jon Lund, Bob Kurgan, etc. Everyone. And usually it was most likely their own car they were playing around with - then a friends, and then more and more. I started tuning many years ago with MY first car - and a few thousand cars later, I still learn things and mostly enjoy it.

You won't blow your car up unless you do something really bad and try to rush through it. 99% of the people I deal with LOVE tuning themselves - once you have that knowledge, no one can take it away!

Good Luck!

Don

Couldn't have said it better myself